Mike Burns

General Manager
New England Revolution

Michael Burns is in his 10th season with the New England Revolution, and his third as the team’s General Manager. He was promoted to his new role in November 2011 after four seasons as the team’s Vice President of Player Personnel.

As General Manager, Burns leads all aspects of the club’s soccer operations, which includes oversight of the coaching staff, player acquisitions and scouting, in addition to continuing his oversight of the youth development program and the team’s day-to-day operations and management.

In the last two years since Burns assumed management of the technical side of the club, the Revolution has improved from a five-win club (in 2011) to a 14-win side in 2013 – and went from last to third in the Eastern Conference in two seasons – utilizing a core of young, talented and exciting players which the future is being built upon.

The former Revs defender and team captain returned to the club at the start of the 2005 season as the Director of Soccer before earning a promotion to Vice President of Player Personnel in 2008.

A true New England soccer legend, Burns was born and raised in nearby Marlborough, and was the Massachusetts High School Player of the Year in 1987 following his senior season at Marlborough High School. After a standout career at Hartwick College (1988-91), Burns became a regular for the U.S. National Team, earning 75 caps and starting two games for the U.S. in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He was also a member of the 1994 U.S. World Cup squad.

Burns was the first player in U.S. Soccer history to represent the United States at every level of FIFA-sanctioned tournaments: Under-16 World Cup (Canada 1987), Under-20 World Cup (Saudi Arabia 1989), Olympic Games (Barcelona 1992) and World Cup (United States 1994, France 1998).

Burns was allocated to the Revolution in 1995 at the inception of MLS and he played for – and captained – New England from 1996 to 2000, before finishing his playing career with the San Jose Earthquakes (2000) and the Kansas City Wizards (2001-02). Overall, he made 169 appearances, scoring three goals and adding 21 assists. Burns also played for Viborg in the Super League in Denmark in 1995 before joining MLS.

In addition to his day-to-day duties with the Revolution, Burns serves on MLS’ Technical Committee and its Combine Committee. Prior to returning to the Revolution in a management capacity, Burns served on the MLS Disciplinary Committee, and was also a member of U.S. Soccer’s Board of Directors and the U.S. Soccer Athlete Counsel.

Burns holds a USSF “A” coaching license. He also is a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of MetroWest that includes Marlborough, Hudson and Framingham.

Burns lives in the suburbs west of Boston with his wife, Jen, and their three children: Kayla (14), Trevor (12) and Garrett (8). Burns graduated from Hartwick in January 1993 with a degree in business management after taking a the spring semester off as a senior to prepare for the 1992 Olympics